Search Results (41,425)

Against the backdrop of global climate change, drought–flood abrupt alternation (DFAA) has become a major compound climate extreme threatening ecosystem stability and sustainable watershed management. This study investigated the spatiotemporal characteristics and ecological responses of DFAA in the Jialing River Basin, China, using meteorological and hydrological observations from 1971 to 2020. DFAA events were identified using the Standardized Weighted Average Precipitation Index (SWAP) and run theory, and their spatiotemporal heterogeneity was characterized using spatial autocorrelation analysis. The Long-duration DFAA Index (LDFAI) was derived using the WEP-L distributed hydrological model. Ecological responses during 2000–2020 were evaluated by integrating the Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI), grey relational analysis, and a Copula-based conditional probability model. The results showed that drought-to-flood events exhibited stronger spatial clustering than flood-to-drought events. Ecosystem responses showed significant lag effects, averaging 6.9 months for spring–summer events and 5 months for summer–autumn events, with greater sensitivity during the summer–autumn period. Under DTF events, the probability of maintaining relatively high ecological quality was significantly higher than under FTD events, whereas FTD events were associated with a higher probability of ecological degradation. Under compound scenarios, consecutive same-type events were more conducive to ecosystem stability, while alternating sequences of different event types significantly amplified negative ecological stress and represented high-risk scenarios for ecological degradation. These findings provide scientific support for adaptive watershed management, ecological restoration, and climate change adaptation in drought–flood-prone regions. Full article

Land use and land cover (LULC) dynamics are critical indicators of environmental transformation and anthropogenic pressure on regional landscapes. Mirzapur, located in the transitional zone between the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the Vindhyan uplands in Northern India, represents a region characterized by ecological sensitivity, mineral-based industries, agricultural dependency, and rapid infrastructural growth. In recent decades, Northern India has experienced accelerated urbanization, population pressure, land fragmentation, and environmental stress, thus making systematic LULC monitoring crucial for sustainable resource management and policy planning. The present study examines the spatio-temporal changes in land use and land cover in Mirzapur for the years 2004, 2014, and 2024. The study employed a cloud-based platform and the Random Forest algorithm for supervised classification of multi-temporal satellite imagery. LULC maps were generated and post classification comparison was used to assess changes across the selected years. Accuracy assessment was conducted using standard validation metrics, including the Kappa coefficient, to evaluate classification. From 2004 to 2024, urban areas expanded by a relative increase of 169.36%, largely through the conversion of cropland, although the overall cropland area showed a slight increase due to agricultural expansion in other parts of the study area. A slight increase in forest cover was also observed during this period. Water bodies and barren lands declined, indicating ecological stress in the region. These changes reflect rapid urbanization, demographic pressure, and evolving socio-economic activities within the district. The LULC classification achieved overall accuracies of 96.50% (2004), 97.52% (2014), and 96.08% (2024), showing the reliability of the generated maps. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of cloud-based geospatial analysis combined with a machine learning algorithms for long-term LULC monitoring and provides valuable insights for sustainable land management and regional planning. Full article

Background/Objectives: Renal ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI) and infection-associated renal damage are characterized by persistent inflammation, oxidative stress, microvascular dysfunction, and impaired tissue regeneration, creating a hostile microenvironment that limits effective repair. We developed an injectable, photocrosslinkable methacrylated chitosan (CSMA) hydrogel for the localized co-delivery of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO₂NPs) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), aiming to integrate redox modulation, antibacterial activity, and regenerative support. Methods: Gelation, microstructure, rheology, degradation, and CeO2NP/VEGF were characterized. Tubular epithelial and fibroblast migration and endothelial network formation, angiogenic gene expression, and antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were evaluated in vitro. Theraputic performance was assessed by renal surface application in a rat renal IRI model and catheter-mediated interavsical administration in an ascending urinary tract infection model. Systematic biocompatibility was evaluated separately in a 14-day subcutaneous implantation study. Renal response were further investigated using transcriptomic and targeted molecular analyses. Results: The CSMA/VEGF/CeO₂NPs hydrogel exhibited rapid in situ gelation, interconnected porous architecture, stable viscoelasticity, gradual degradation, and sustained release of both CeO₂NPs and VEGF. The formulation enhanced tubular epithelial and fibroblast migration, promoted endothelial network formation and angiogenic gene expression and effectively inhibited both S. aureus and E. coli. In a surgically controlled rat renal IRI model, direct renal-surface application of the hydrogel reduced tubular injury, inflammatory infiltration, and fibrotic remodeling. In a separate ascending urinary tract infection model, catheter-based intravesical administration reduced the ascending renal bacterial burden and infection-associated inflammatory injury. No detectable adverse systemic effects observed under the tested conditions over the 14-day observation period in the subcutaneous implantation. Transcriptomic analyses further revealed that CSMA/VEGF/CeO₂NPs treatment was associated with marked remodeling of the renal injury microenvironment, characterized by suppression of antigen presentation and immune activation pathways, alongside restoration of metabolic programs associated with amino acid, lipid, and purine metabolism. These molecular changes were accompanied by downregulation of CIITA/CD74/MHC-II signaling, recovery of metabolic regulators AGXT and ACOX1, modulation of Hippo/YAP- and ECM-associated pathways, and preservation of renal structural markers including nephrin and WT1. Conclusions: The localized CSMA-mediated co-delivery of CSMA/VEGF/CeO₂NPs hydrogel promotes renal repair through resolution of maladaptive immune activation, metabolic reprogramming, angiogenic enhancement, and preservation of renal structural integrity, providing a promising biomaterial strategy for the treatment of ischemic and infection-associated renal injuries. Full article

Active distribution networks (ADNs) require battery energy storage system (BESS) scheduling strategies that reduce operating costs while preserving electrical feasibility and battery lifetime. This paper proposes a parallel adapted JAYA-based methodology for the day-ahead coordinated active and reactive power dispatch of BESS units in this type of grid. The novelty of this research lies in four key contributions: (i) the coordinated optimization of active and reactive power from BESS converters, exploiting their full capabilities for both energy management and voltage support; (ii) the integration of battery degradation costs within the optimization framework, preventing short-term economic strategies that accelerate aging; (iii) the implementation of a parallel adapted JAYA algorithm (AJAYA) with stagnation control and population reactivation mechanisms to enhance solution quality and convergence; and (iv) a comprehensive assessment under both deterministic and uncertainty-based operating conditions, providing a realistic validation of the proposed approach. Our model minimizes conventional generation, DER operation and maintenance, and BESS degradation costs while subject to power balance, distributed energy resource limits, voltage and current constraints, converter capacity, and state of charge (SoC) requirements. Each solution is encoded as BESS active/reactive power setpoints and evaluated through a multi-period AC power flow based on the successive approximations method, including SoC verification and a penalized fitness function. The methodology was validated in modified 33- and 69-node ADNs under deterministic and uncertainty scenarios (based on the conditions observed in Colombia), and it was benchmarked against the population-based genetic algorithm (PGA), the multiverse optimizer (MVO), the salp swarm algorithm (SALPS), the grey wolf optimizer (GWO), and the vortex search algorithm (VSA). According to the results, AJAYA outperformed the comparison methods, providing the best economic performance and exhibiting a robust behavior, with standard deviations below 0.06% and processing times below 0.05 h within a 24-h scheduling horizon. These findings demonstrate that the proposed framework constitutes an AC-feasible and degradation-aware academic contribution and a practical decision-support tool for operators and BESS owners, enabling a cost-effective and reliable BESS scheduling that preserves battery lifetime while improving network operation. Therefore, this research addresses the critical need for advanced energy management strategies that balance short-term economic benefits, technical feasibility, and long-term asset sustainability in modern distribution networks. Full article

The increasing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is expected to generate a substantial number of retired lithium-ion batteries, creating both environmental challenges and opportunities for second-life energy storage applications. However, the performance variability of retired batteries makes the identification of suitable candidates for repurposing a significant challenge. This study proposes a Battery Stability Index (BSI) framework for evaluating the suitability of second-life EV batteries for stationary energy storage applications supporting EV charging infrastructures. Battery cycling data from Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi i-MiEV battery packs were analyzed using degradation rate, energy efficiency retention, operational stability, and energy throughput indicators. In addition, EV charging demand data were utilized to assess charging session support capability as a practical deployment-oriented performance metric. The proposed BSI integrates stability, degradation, and throughput characteristics into a unified assessment framework for battery ranking and suitability evaluation. The results demonstrate significant performance differences between the evaluated battery families. Nissan Leaf batteries exhibited lower capacity degradation rates (0.0086) than Mitsubishi i-MiEV batteries (0.0170), maintained higher energy efficiency retention (91.4% versus 79.0%), and achieved substantially greater energy throughput (21,911 Wh versus 6230 Wh). Furthermore, Nissan Leaf batteries supported up to 1.16 EV charging sessions, whereas Mitsubishi i-MiEV batteries supported fewer than 0.34 sessions. Consequently, Nissan Leaf batteries achieved the highest BSI values, with Leaf-1 and Leaf-2 obtaining scores of 0.658 and 0.638, respectively. The findings demonstrate that battery suitability cannot be reliably determined using a single health indicator. The proposed BSI framework provides a comprehensive and practical approach for identifying suitable second-life batteries, supporting battery repurposing decisions, sustainable energy storage deployment, and the integration of second-life batteries within EV charging ecosystems. Full article

As vehicle intelligence and automotive electrification advance, the extensive deployment of distributed sensing nodes for comprehensive monitoring has grown rapidly. This poses severe challenges, such as rising onboard power consumption and the inability of conventional centralized power supply systems to sustain these sensors. Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), an emerging technology for energy harvesting and self-powered sensing, exhibit great potential to address the above challenges. This review systematically summarizes research on TENGs for vehicle energy harvesting and intelligent sensing, covering their fundamental working principles and applications in diverse vehicle scenarios. First, the basic principle and working modes of TENGs are described, and their suitability for complex and variable vehicle environments is evaluated. Subsequently, existing applications are categorized into three domains: vehicle vibration systems, wheel–road systems, and intelligent vehicle systems. Studies on various topics are reviewed, including vibration energy harvesting and sensing, vehicle collision monitoring, tire energy harvesting, road sensing, smart cockpits, human–machine interaction, and vehicle fluid monitoring. Emphasis is placed on their technical approaches and application prospects. Finally, the state-of-the-art research and prevailing technical bottlenecks are summarized, and potential solutions and future research perspectives are discussed. This review aims to support the reliable practical deployment of TENG technology in vehicle engineering and to provide a technical basis for energy-saving strategies and in situ sensing technologies for future intelligent vehicles. Full article

Background: Lipid nanoparticles are widely investigated as oral drug delivery systems, but their intestinal performance remains difficult to predict based only on physicochemical properties. This study aimed to elucidate how the lipid matrix composition influences the intestinal permeation of curcumin from lipid nanoparticles. Methods: Curcumin-loaded nanoemulsions, nanostructured lipid carriers with defined solid-to-liquid lipid ratios, and solid lipid nanoparticles were prepared by high-pressure homogenization. All formulations were characterized with respect to particle size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential before and after simulated intestinal pre-incubation in a simplified SDS-containing intestinal fluid. Intestinal permeation was evaluated ex vivo using porcine gut tissue by analysis of semi-quantitative fluorescence-based permeation readouts (ART) and mean permeation depth (MPD) after 30 and 60 min. Results: All formulations maintained stable physicochemical properties with particle sizes around 200 nm and negative zeta potentials; pre-incubation increased the negativity of the zeta potential but left particle size unchanged. Despite similar attributes, the formulations differed in intestinal curcumin permeation based on time and composition. At 30 min, nanoemulsions and mixed nanostructured lipid carriers achieved the highest performance. By 60 min, lipid carriers with more liquid lipid significantly increased both the fluorescence intensity and the depth of curcumin permeation, while other systems showed little further improvement. Conclusions: The intestinal permeation of drug from lipid nanoparticles is governed by the lipid matrix architecture and its interaction with the hydrated intestinal environment, which together affect drug-release kinetics and the ability to sustain a trans-epithelial concentration gradient over time. Thus, optimizing oral lipid nanoparticles requires time-resolved, biologically relevant models rather than physicochemical characterization alone, consistent with observed similar matrix-driven effects in dermal delivery systems. Full article

Purpose: Despite the increasing use of digital platforms during health emergencies, little is known about the cognitive and structural mechanisms through which social media quality information influences preventive healthcare behaviour, particularly in low-resource settings. Drawing on the integration of the Protection Motivation Theory and Andersen’s Behavioural Model, this study examines how social media quality information shapes preventive healthcare behaviour in Sierra Leone by investigating the mediating role of risk perception and the moderating role of psychological resilience. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional survey approach was adopted, and data were collected from social media users in Sierra Leone, Africa, and analysed using IBM SPSS 25 and SmartPLS 4.1 to evaluate the measurement and structural models. Results: The findings disclose that SMQI significantly influences preventive behaviour both directly and indirectly via RP. Furthermore, RES positively and significantly moderates the relationship between risk perception and preventive healthcare behaviour, acting as a catalyst for action, while access to preventive resources (AcPR) serves as a critical enabling factor. Implications: This study advances health behaviour theory by integrating cognitive, psychological, and structural determinants into a cohesive model and establishes resilience as a vital boundary condition for effective crisis response. The findings offer actionable insights for policymakers and health communicators to design high-quality social media interventions that not only inform citizens but also foster the psychological resilience necessary for sustained health compliance. Full article

Highly automated vehicles often rely on takeover requests (TORs) that lack contextual transparency, treat drivers as passive fallbacks, and lead to poor situational awareness. To address this challenge, this study presents the Empowering Language Interaction (ELI) framework, a conversational interface powered by a large language model that supports bidirectional negotiation and collaborative human–AI teamwork. Using the CARLA driving simulator, 28 participants compared ELI with a conventional TOR baseline in both urban and peri-urban driving scenarios. The study employed a multidimensional evaluation approach, integrating telemetry data on driving performance with continuous monitoring of physiological indicators (electrocardiogram and electrodermal activity) and subjective questionnaires to assess driver trust and engagement. Results indicated that ELI sustained continuous driver engagement and improved the subjective comprehension of the vehicle’s state. Physiologically, the conversational interface maintained active cognitive load, preventing the abrupt autonomic spikes characteristic of traditional takeover requests. Furthermore, ELI outperformed the TOR baseline in safety metrics by reducing out-of-lane events and maintaining greater safety margins. Conversational interaction has shown potential to transform drivers from passive supervisors into active teammates, improving joint decision-making without inducing over-reliance on the automated system. Full article

The rising global food demand requires boosting agricultural productivity without compromising environmental sustainability, especially in the face of intensive agrochemical use and soil degradation. Based on this, strain TRQ67 was isolated from wheat rhizosphere soil in the Yaqui Valley, Mexico, and characterized morphologically, biochemically, and genomically. Strain TRQ67 possesses a genome of 4.04 Mbp across 37 contigs with a G + C content of 46.3%, comprising 4127 coding DNA sequences (CDSs), and was identified as Bacillus velezensis through Overall Genome Relatedness Indices (OGRIs), including Average Nucleotide Identity (OrthoANI = 99.12%) and Genome-to-Genome Distance Calculator (Formula 2: 92.6%). The genome revealed key functional genes associated with auxin biosynthesis (trpABCDEF and yhcX), iron acquisition (dhbABF), nutrient solubilization (gabD, acnAB and pyc), stress response (clpCEPX and pspA), antifungal metabolite synthesis (srfAABCD, fenABCD and bmyABC), chemotaxis and motility (cheABCD, motAB, flgBCDEF, swrC), bacterial fitness (acoABR, acuABC and budABC), exopolysaccharide production (epsDEFHI), sporulation (spo0ABEF) and bioremediation. Predicted gene functions were supported by in vitro phenotypic assays; strain TRQ67 was able to solubilize phosphate (Solubilization Index of 4.1 ± 0.46), biosynthesize siderophores (Production Index of 1.70 ± 0.16), and produce indoles (6.52 ± 0.63 µg mL⁻¹). Furthermore, this strain demonstrated antagonistic activity against phytopathogenic fungi Fusarium languescens and Bipolaris sorokiniana, resulting in reductions in fungal growth area of 87.33% and 89.28%, respectively. These antagonistic effects are consistent with the presence of Biosynthetic Gene Clusters (BGCs) encoding lipopeptides (surfactin and fengycin), polyketides (difficidin, bacillaene and macrolactin H), dipeptides (bacilysin) and siderophores (bacillibactin), as identified through antiSMASH analysis. Finally, the strain significantly improved root (27.63%) and shoot (5.82%) biomass in wheat plants under controlled conditions. These results highlight Bacillus velezensis TRQ67 as a promising microbial inoculant with plant growth promotion capabilities and potential antifungal activity against phytopathogenic fungi, as evidenced by strong in vitro antagonistic activity, supporting its further evaluation for sustainable agricultural practices. Full article

Plastic waste management remains a significant environmental and economic challenge in developing countries, where insufficient recovery infrastructure hinders the transition toward sustainability. This study evaluates the industrialization of post-consumer plastics in Ecuador under the 2020 Law on Reuse and Reduction of Single-Use Plastics. Official 2024 datasets were quantitatively analyzed to calculate national indicators of per capita plastic waste generation, estimated annual plastic waste generation, and the plastic recovery index. The results show that Ecuador recovered and industrialized 106,145 tons of post-consumer plastics in 2024, achieving a recovery rate of 16%, which positions the country among the top performers in Latin America; however, direct comparisons with global recycling estimates should be interpreted cautiously. Per capita plastic waste generation reached 37.13 kg cap⁻¹ yr⁻¹, yet approximately 664,633 t yr⁻¹ of plastic waste are generated annually, representing a substantial potential risk of environmental leakage if not adequately managed, recovered, or valorized. Although Ecuador demonstrates measurable progress toward implementing the circular economy, persistent gaps in data standardization, source segregation of waste, and policy enforcement limit further advancement. Strengthening institutional coordination, market incentives, and public participation is essential to accelerate a more sustainable and circular plastics system. Full article

Spent automotive catalysts represent an important secondary resource for platinum group metals, offering environmental and economic advantages over primary mining. This review evaluates bioleaching-based recovery strategies of these metals as sustainable alternatives to conventional pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processing. The cyanogenic bioleaching using Chromobacterium violaceum, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Bacillus megaterium, and acidophilic bioleaching using Acidithiobacillus spp. for washcoat degradation and base-metal removal are discussed through the one-step, two-step, spent-medium, and decoupled systems. The analysis shows progressive improvement of recovery as process separation increases. Sequential pretreatment involving ultrasound-assisted acid leaching, thermal oxidation, and pressure-enhanced processing improved recovery by removing competing base metals and increasing PGM accessibility. Kinetic analyses indicate that diffusion through the porous catalyst support matrix becomes the dominant rate-controlling mechanism at high conversion, which impacts reactor design. Despite sustainability potential, industrial implementation remains constrained by low pulp density, cyanide stability, reactor productivity, and scale-up limitations. Routes to commercialisation require feasibility studies of process designs that integrate viable process flow diagrams combining pretreatment, biological lixiviant generation, intensified bioleaching, and downstream metal purification. Full article

To investigate the role and underlying mechanisms of TIMM8A in breast cancer progression. The expression of TIMM8A in breast cancer tissues and cell lines was assessed. Functional assays were performed to evaluate the effects of TIMM8A knockdown on proliferation, metastasis, and apoptosis in BT549 and MCF-7 cells. Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and ubiquitination assays were used to examine the interaction between TIMM8A and HSPA9, as well as the involvement of the E3 ubiquitin ligase RNF4. PI3K/AKT pathway activity was assessed by Western blotting. In vivo tumor growth was evaluated using a xenograft mouse model. TIMM8A was significantly upregulated in breast cancer tissues and cell lines, and high TIMM8A expression correlated with poor prognosis. TIMM8A knockdown suppressed proliferation and metastasis while inducing apoptosis in vitro. Mechanistically, TIMM8A interacted with HSPA9 and maintained its protein stability by inhibiting RNF4-mediated ubiquitination and degradation, thereby sustaining PI3K/AKT signaling activation. Conversely, TIMM8A depletion reduced HSPA9 stability and attenuated the pathway. Rescue experiments confirmed that HSPA9 overexpression restored PI3K/AKT activation and reversed TIMM8A-knockdown-induced malignant suppression. In vivo, TIMM8A silencing efficiently inhibited tumor growth, accompanied by reduced HSPA9 and Ki-67 expression and decreased PI3K/AKT phosphorylation. TIMM8A promotes breast cancer progression through the TIMM8A/HSPA9/PI3K/AKT regulatory axis, highlighting TIMM8A as a promising prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target for breast cancer. Full article

Understanding spatiotemporal changes in landscape ecological risk is essential for regional ecological security and sustainable land management, particularly in environmentally sensitive areas. Using land-use data from five time points (2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020) together with topographic, climatic, vegetation, and socioeconomic data, we assessed landscape ecological risk dynamics in Xinzhou City, a typical ecologically sensitive region in the middle Yellow River Basin. We integrated a landscape ecological risk assessment model, spatial autocorrelation analysis, and an optimal-parameter geographical detector (OPGD) to identify the spatiotemporal patterns and key drivers of ecological risk. Built-up land expanded by 131.47% over the study period, while cropland and grassland both contracted. Land-use change was dominated by bidirectional conversion between cropland and grassland, alongside a net shift of both to built-up land. Overall, ecological risk declined: high- and relatively high-risk areas decreased by 1354.15 km². Spatially, the pattern remained stable, with higher risk in basins and lower risk in mountainous regions, although the trend varied across phases. Risk exhibited significant spatial clustering: low–low clusters remained stable in mountainous ecological source areas, whereas high–high clusters persisted in basin agricultural areas. Elevation was the dominant factor in spatial risk differentiation. Combined natural and anthropogenic factors shaped the overall risk pattern. Despite the regional decline, urbanization-induced disturbance remains the principal driver of local risk increases. Our findings demonstrate the value of coupling long-term land-use data with OPGD to evaluate the relative and interactive contributions of terrain constraints and anthropogenic drivers in complex mountain–basin systems, with implications for spatially targeted ecological restoration and sustainable land management in ecologically sensitive transition zones. Full article

Considering carbon neutrality and fossil fuel depletion, biomass is becoming increasingly important as a renewable and sustainable energy source. However, understanding of process-dependent characteristics relevant to char production remains limited. This study investigated the carbonization of mushroom waste medium (MWM) via conventional carbonization (CC; i.e., pyrolysis), hydrothermal carbonization (HTC), and microwave-assisted carbonization (MAC), and evaluated their suitability for desired char properties and target applications. For all methods, increasing reaction temperature led to carbon densification, with decreased oxygen and hydrogen contents and increased carbon and fixed carbon fractions. However, the extent of these transformations depended on the reaction environment. HTC achieved carbon enrichment and the highest higher heating value (HHV) at relatively low temperatures. In contrast, CC required higher temperatures to achieve comparable carbonization levels but showed a marked increase in BET surface area at higher temperatures. MAC exhibited intermediate characteristics under moderate conditions. HTC also facilitated potassium and chlorine removal, which may reduce operational issues during thermal utilization. These results indicate trade-offs among carbon densification, char yield, surface structure, and inorganic matter content. Rather than identifying a universally superior process, this study demonstrates that the suitability of each method depends on the desired properties and applications of MWM-derived char, providing a practical basis for appropriate process selection. Full article